mental wellbeing

• Mental wellbeing

  • Levels of functioning
  • Resilience
  • Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)
• Resilience

  The ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty
• Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)

  A multidimensional and holistic framework for wellbeing that encapsulates all elements of being (body, mind and emotions, family and kinship, community, culture, country, spirituality and ancestors) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
• People with a high level of functioning show adaptive behaviour
• Maladaptive behaviour is detrimental and interferes with the individual’s ability to adjust to the environment
• Levels of functioning

  Refers to how well an individual independently performs in their environment
• High resilience

  More likely to perceive a major life stressor as an opportunity to excel
• Low resilience

  More likely to feel significantly challenged or overwhelmed
• Resilience is not a fixed ability and can be developed or enhanced
• Holistic view of health

  Considers mental, physical, cultural, and spiritual well-being
• Cultural determinants are the strongest protective factors for SEWB
• Examples of risk factors for physical health

  • Chronic diseases
  • Poor diet
  • Smoking
• Examples of risk factors for mental health

  • Developmental impairments
  • Racism
  • Mental illness
  • Unemployment
  • Trauma
• Examples of risk factors for family and kinship

  • Absence of family members
  • Family violence
  • Child neglect and abuse
  • Children in out-of-home care
• Examples of protective factors for family and kinship

  • Loving, stable family
  • Adequate income
  • Culturally appropriate family programs
• Mental health

  Ability to manage thoughts and feelings
• Connections to family and kinship systems are central to the functioning of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander societies
• A connection to community provides opportunities for individuals and families to connect with each other, support each other and work together
• A connection to a culture provides a sense of continuity with the past and helps underpin a strong identity
• Connection to country helps underpin identity and a sense of belonging
• Mental wellbeing is an important component of SEWB, but is viewed as only one component of health that is inextricably linked to the social, emotional, physical, cultural and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing
• Typical characteristics of high levels of mental wellbeing

  • Able to function independently within their everyday life
  • Able to cope with everyday demands without showing an excessive level of distress and dysfunction
  • May experience stress, sadness, and anger, however, have high levels of mental wellbeing due to their ability to cope with these experiences, regulate emotions, and express them appropriately
• The interaction of internal and external factors helps account for why we shift back and forth along the mental wellbeing continuum at different points in time
• Internal factors influencing mental wellbeing

  • Biological factors
  • Psychological factors
• Examples of biological factors

  • Genetic predisposition
  • Neurotransmitters
  • Immune system functioning
• Examples of psychological factors

  • Ways of thinking
  • Perception
  • Attitudes/beliefs
  • Problem solving skills
• External factors influencing mental wellbeing

  • Social factors
• Examples of social factors

  • School and work related factors
  • Level of income
  • Access to support services
  • Quality of relationships
• These factors interact to influence a person’s mental wellbeing in two ways
• Ways factors influence mental wellbeing

  • Contribute to the development or progression of low levels of mental wellbeing
  • Protect an individual from the development or progression of low levels of wellbeing, instead maintaining high levels of mental wellbeing
• Example of contributing factors to low levels of mental wellbeing

  • Genes
  • Brain chemistry
  • Negative ways of thinking
  • Prior learning experiences
  • Death of a loved one
• Example of protective factors for maintaining high levels of mental wellbeing

  • Changing thinking style
  • Medication
  • Learning better problem solving strategies
  • Supportive network of family and friends
• Stress is a psychobiological response produced by internal or external stressors when we perceive we cannot cope
• Anxiety

  A state of physiological arousal associated with feelings of apprehension, worry or uneasiness that something is wrong or something unpleasant is about to happen
• Stress and anxiety are generally considered normal human responses that are usually adaptive and beneficial unless excessive and chronic
• Phobias cause distress and interfere with a person’s day-to-day functioning through avoidance behaviour and other responses associated with fear
• self determination- the right of a people to have an involvement or have the ability to make decisions on factors that affects them
• High Levels of Functioning- Being able to interact and involve oneself in society and undertake everyday tasks such as

  personal hygiene, going to work or eating food
• • Anecdotes are personal stories used to illustrate points, while opinions are personal judgments or beliefs about a topic.
• What is the definition of specific phobia?

  A disorder characterized by significant anxiety provoked by exposure to a specific feared object or situation, usually leading to avoidance behavior.